Woman Dead, One Missing After Ohio River Kayak Accident

LEETSDALE (KDKA) — A woman’s body was pulled from the Ohio River Saturday after a kayak accident.

Crews were first called to the area near Dashields Lock and Dam in Leetsdale just before 7 p.m. when people aboard a private fishing vessel noticed a body floating.

“They actually located a body that they were unable to get, later on a private craft got a body out of the water, and they were able to get that one to shore, we have one body unaccounted for at this time,” Leetsdale Volunteer Fire Chief Marty Davis said.

The person pulled from the water was later identified as 25-year-old Brittany Evans of West View.

Evans and another kayaker reportedly went over the edge of the dam.

Fire officials say the area is dangerous for recreational activity.

“That dam is, from up above, when you’re coming from the Sewickley side, it looks like the river just goes straight until you get up on it, we usually have one or two a year, it’s odd that it’s this early in the year,”Crescent Township Volunteer Fire Chief John Kriger said.

Gary Bane, a drone operator, was called to assist with the search due to the dangerous nature of the area.

“We can only go up so far with the boats, so rather than trying to push the boats to the max, it’s easier to just put me in a boat, put the drone up in the air, and literally I’m right above the dam,” Bane said.

The search for the second kayaker was called off for the night around 9:15 p.m., but Pittsburgh River Rescue told KDKA infrared technology would be used to try and detect a body in the water as a last ditch effort Saturday.